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Gives an overview of the present school system in Japan, focusing on early intervention for hearing impairments, auditory compensation devices, and instruction in auditory training. Suggests that recent developments in hearing aid technology have resulted in substantial improvements in the identification and rehabilitation of hearing-impaired infants and children. (AA)

A set of linguistic information gathering tools is proposed to enhance audiological counseling approaches. A case study of a hearing impaired young woman who rejected hearing aids is presented to illustrate the concepts and methods explained. (Author/DB)

This paper investigates one characteristic of FM radio hearing-aid systems as used in the education of hearing impaired children: battery performance. While batteries studied performed according to manufacturer's specifications, the importance of monitoring the charging procedure cannot be overemphasized. (Author/PB)

Recent developments are described in transmission of speech information to the skin of hearing-impaired individuals through artificial hearing devices. Discussed are tactual hearing instrument characteristics; transmission of speech sounds by tactual vocoders; vocabulary acquisition, sentence recognition, and discourse tracking through tactual vocoders; and potential users of tactual aids. (JDD)

The HHIE-S (Hearing Handicap Inventory for the Elderly - Screening) is widely used for hearing-loss disorder in the elderly. The main objective of the present study was to validate a French version. The secondary objective was to determinate a cut-off score as indication for hearing rehabilitation. We translated the HHIE-S into French, respecting the cross-cultural adaptation process for medical questionnaires. An observational study assessed the translation (10 questions, scored from 0 to 40) used for screening purposes in a prospective cohort, aged ≥ 60 years, with comparison to pure tone, speech-in-silence and speech-in-noise audiometry. Subjects were considered hearing-impaired if the pure-tone average at 500, 1,000, 2,000 and 4,000 Hz was > 20 dB HL in one or both ears. We tested 294 subjects (mean age = 67 ± 6 years). Hearing loss prevalence was 34.7 %. Cronbach's alpha (test reliability) was high (0.84). Taking HHIE-S score > 8/40 as cut-off defining hearing loss, sensitivity was 80.4%, specificity 85.4 %, positive predictive value 74.5 % and negative predictive value 89.1 %. Seventy-three subjects (24.8 %) had theoretic indications for hearing aids, optimally detected by HHIE-S score > 16/40 (88,4 %). Our study validated the French version of the HHIE-S. This tool could be useful in screening for age-induced hearing loss in the elderly French population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Perception of emotion plays a major role in social interaction. Studies have shown that hearing loss and aging degrade emotional recognition. The main aim of the present study was to evaluate the benefit of first-time hearing aids (HA) for emotional prosody perception in presbycusis patients. Secondary objectives comprised comparison with normal-hearing subjects, and assessment of the impact of demographic and audiologic factors. To assess HA impact, 29 subjects with presbycusis were included. They were tested without HA and 1 month after starting to use HA. A test with emotional hearing stimuli (Montreal Affective Voice test: MAV) was performed at various intensities (50, 65 and 80 dB SPL). Patients' experience was evaluated on the Profile of Emotional Competence questionnaire, before and after HA fitting. Results were compared with those of 29 normal-hearing subjects. Auditory rehabilitation did not significantly improve MAV results (P > 0.005), or subjective questionnaire results (P > 0.005). Scores remained lower than those of normal-hearing subjects (P < 0.001). MAV results, before and after HA, showed significant correlation with pure-tone average (r = −0.88, P < 0.001) and age (r = 0.44, P = 0.018). The older the presbycusis patient and the more severe the hearing loss, the greater the difficulty in recognising emotional prosody. Despite hearing rehabilitation, presbycusis patients' results remained poorer than in normal-hearing subjects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To assess the impact of rehabilitation systems (CROS: Contralateral Routing of Signal; BAHA: Bone-Anchored Hearing Aid; CI: cochlear implant) on cortical auditory evoked potentials (CAEP) and auditory performance in unilateral hearing loss. Twenty-one adults with unilateral hearing loss, using CROS (n = 6), BAHA (n = 6) or CI (n = 9), were included. Seven normal-hearing subjects served as controls. CAEPs were recorded for a (/ba/) speech stimulus; for patients, tests were conducted with and without their auditory rehabilitation. Amplitude and latency of the various CAEP components of the global field power (GFP) were measured, and scalp potential fields were mapped. Behavioral assessment used sentence recognition in noise, with and without spatial cues. Only CI induced N1 peak amplitude change (P < 0.05). CI and CROS increased polarity inversion amplitude in the contralateral ear, and frontocentral negativity on the scalp potential map. CI improved understanding when speech was presented to the implanted ear and noise to the healthy ear, and vice-versa. Cochlear implantation had the greatest impact on CAEP morphology and auditory performance. A longitudinal study could analyze progression of cortical reorganization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors present the guidelines of the French Society of Otorhinolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery (Société française d'oto-rhino-laryngologie et de chirurgie de la face et du cou – SFORL) on the indications for cochlear implantation in children. A multidisciplinary work group was entrusted with a review of the scientific literature on the above topic. Guidelines were drawn up, based on the articles retrieved and the group members' individual experience. They were then read over by an editorial group independent of the work group. The guidelines were graded as A, B, C or expert opinion, by decreasing level of evidence. The SFORL recommends that children with bilateral severe/profound hearing loss be offered bilateral cochlear implantation, with surgery before 12 months of age. In sequential bilateral cochlear implantation in children with severe/profound hearing loss, it is recommended to reduce the interval between the two implants, preferably to less than 18 months. The SFORL recommends encouraging children with unilateral cochlear implants to wear contralateral hearing aids when residual hearing is present, and recommends assessing perception with hearing-in-noise tests. It is recommended that the surgical technique should try to preserve the residual functional structures of the inner ear as much as possible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this article is to describe the unique needs of patients with hearing loss who are receiving hospice care. Hearing loss is the third most chronic condition in older adults and is often untreated. Such losses can interfere with critical communication exchanges that occur during admissions to hospice as well as during home or inpatient care. Three case scenarios are provided to illustrate these points. A comprehensive plan of options from screening to specific interventions is summarized. Options can be implemented to improve the overall communication for persons with hearing loss and their providers and family members. Improving communication may lead to improved quality of life and quality of care at end of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Results are presented of an analysis and characterization of the mechanical vibration of hearing aid receivers, a key electroacoustic component of hearing aids. The function of a receiver in a hearing aid is to provide an amplified sound signal into the ear canal. Unfortunately, as the receiver produces sound, it also undergoes vibration which can be transmitted through the hearing aid package to the microphones, resulting in undesirable feedback oscillations. To better understand and control this important source of feedback in hearing aids, a rigid body model is proposed to describe the essential dynamic features of the system. The receiver is represented by two hinged rigid bodies, under an equal and opposite dynamic moment load, and connected to each other by a torsional spring and damper. A method is presented to estimate the parameters for the proposed model using experimental data. The data were collected from translational velocity measurements using a scanning laser vibrometer of a Knowles ED-series receiver supported on a complaint foundation. Excellent agreement is shown between results obtained using the analytical model and the measured translation and rotation of an independent receiver. It is concluded that a dynamic model of the receiver must account for both rotation and translation of the structure in order to properly describe its motion due to an input current. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hearing loss, usually due to presbycusis, is frequent in old age and goes often undetected or untreated. Older subjects with hearing loss have increasing communication problems, reduced quality of life, isolation, depression and also feelings of frustration and discouragement. Hearing loss is also linked to cardiovascular problems, depression and dementia. Despite its relevance, country-level epidemiological data on age-related incidence and prevalence of presbycusis are limited, and no specific data in different geriatric settings are usually available. Population screening programs similar to those in infants are not widely implanted, although both primary care providers and geriatricians have incorporated strategies to detect hearing loss. No guidelines are available on when and how to screen and manage hearing loss in old age. Management of presbycusis is usually directed by ENT specialists, in cooperation with audiologist. These may be hospital-based or work in for profit centres, depending on the country. Funding of hearing aids by health care providers is limited, so some patients do not have access to them due to their high cost. Attitudes towards hearing loss, including considering it an inevitable age-related problem, may also limit access to care. Cochlear implants are still anecdotal in older patients in most countries. There is still a long way to go in the detection and management of hearing loss in older people. Systematic screening, careful assessment and treatment guidelines will have to be developed and implemented, both at country and European level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Universal neonatal hearing screening aims to detect the 1 in 1000 babies born in the UK with a permanent hearing loss detectable at birth. However, children may present later to the paediatrician with hearing difficulties. This article aims to discuss the clinical assessment of hearing and provides an overview of the management options available in the treatment of hearing loss, including amplification, grommet insertion, bone anchored hearing aids and cochlear implantation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This study investigated the potential effects of cochlear implantation and age at implantation on maternal interactional sensitivity. Three groups of dyads were studied at two points over 1 year. The hearing aid (HA) group wore hearing aids throughout the study, the early cochlear-implanted (ECI) group were implanted prior to 22 months of age, and the later cochlear-implanted (LCI) group were implanted after 25 months of age. Using the Maternal Sensitivity Rating Scale, results showed that for all three groups overall maternal sensitivity and specific dimensions of sensitivity increased over time. There was no significant difference between the HA group and the combined cochlear implant group, however, the mothers of the children in the ECI group showed significant increases in maternal sensitivity when compared with the LCI group. The Maternal Sensitivity Rating Scale appears to be discriminatory over time, and between groups of items relating to the quality of interaction, contingency to the child, and maternal interactional strategies. The scale may prove to be a useful instrument for practitioners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inherited metabolic disorders (IMDs) have been observed in individuals with hearing loss (HL), but IMDs are rarely the cause of syndromic HL. With early diagnosis, management of HL is more effective and cortical reorganization is possible with hearing aids or cochlear implants. This review describes relationships between IMDs and HL in terms of incidence, etiology of HL, pathophysiology, and treatment. Forty types of IMDs are described in the literature, mainly in case reports. Management and prognosis are noted where existing. We also describe IMDs with HL given age of occurrence of HL. Reviewing the main IMDs that are associated with HL may provide an additional clinical tool with which to better diagnose syndromic HL. • Inherited metabolic disorders (IMDs) are often associated with hearing loss (HL). • We systematically reviewed associations between IMDs and HL. • Incidence, etiology, pathophysiology, and treatment were discussed. • Better understanding of these associations may improve diagnosis and treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This section presents abstract of articles related to police science. R. M. Hewitt's article Explosive Hearing Aid Batteries, discusses the hearing aid batteries known as mercury Cells. These particular batteries contain mercury as one of the elements in the chemical action of the cell. Batteries are provided with vents that allow release of gasses formed by chemical action during normal use. However, accelerated action, due to sudden heat, of burning these batteries in a fire or incinerator, apparently causes an undue increase in the gas pressure, which results in explosion of the batteries. Several cases reported wherein such explosion contributed to minor injury. James M. Caulfield's article Legal Photography, discusses problems of yesteryear in proving photographs for courtroom use. He tells in particular his experiences in 1916 in a case in using enlargements of a portion and of the whole negative. He contrasts these problems with the present-day court acceptance of photographs. Irving Sunshine's article, Exposure to Toxic Substances, discusses toxic substances with special emphasis on those that may be encountered through exposure in various occupations. He describes the various factors governing drug action, different types of exposures, and classifications of poisons. Noxious agents encountered in daily life and industry are considered. Statistics are quoted on chemical agents found in fatalities in Cuyahoga County over a ten-year period.

The article presents an abstract of the acoustical patent "Method and apparatus for detecting cellular telephones for hearing assistance devices" by Michael Karl Sacha and others, assignors to Starkey Laboratories Inc.

Information on a patent for a telecoil connected to a detachable Direct Audio Input (DAI) connector in a hearing aid is presented.

The article evaluates a patent for a behind the ear (BTE) hearing aid featuring an antenna partition plane.

The article discusses U.S. patent 9,408,002, which is for the control of hearing aid parameter settings.

The article reviews a U.S. patent for a hearing aid wireless network owned by Rene Rye Larsen, an assignor to medical device company GN ReSound A/S.

The article offers information on the basis, implementation, and results of sound therapies for tinnitus. It says that sound therapy could result in psychological benefits or change the fundamental physiological generators of tinnitus. It also states that tinnitus perception should be considered a complex process incorporating memory, orientation, detection, and attention.

The article presents an abstract of the acoustical patent "Electrooculogram as a control in a hearing assistance device" by Sidney A. Higgins and others, assignors to Starkey Laboratories.

The article presents an abstract of the acoustical patent "Hearing system and method for operating a hearing system" by Bernd Waldmann, assignor to Sonova AG.

The article presents an abstract of the acoustical patent "Feedback evaluation implemented with limited signal processing" by Martin Evert Gustaf Hillbratt and Mats Höjlund, assignors to Cochlear Ltd.

The article presents an abstract of the acoustical patent "Method for testing hearing aids" by Martina Bellanova and Mattias Latzel, assignors to Sivantos Pte.

The article presents an abstract of the acoustical patent "Hearing aid having level and frequency-dependent gain" by John D. Meyer and Toban A. Szuts, assignors to Meyer Sound Laboratories Inc.

The article presents an abstract of the acoustical patent "Automatic power-off of hearing aid" by Morten Kroman, assignor to Widex A/S.

Information on a patent for two analysis methods that can identify the hearing aid wearer's voice activity is presented.

Information on a patent for an antenna connected to a wireless communications receiver in a hearing aid is presented.

Information on a patent for a hearing aid programming method is presented.

Information on a patent for determining the receiver type in a hearing aid fitting system is presented.

Information on a patent for an audio processing compression system in a hearing aid is presented.

The article offers information on a patent for a light powered hearing aid.

The article offers information on a patent which describes a hearing aid adapted for embedded electronics.

The article offers information on a patent which describes an apparatus and a technique for monitoring wireless communication in hearing assistance systems.

The article offers information on a patent which describes an output component of a hearing prosthesis.

The article offers information on a patent for a real ear measurement system.

The article offers information on a patent for a hearing assistance device which associates acoustic environment codes with acoustic environments.

The article offers information on a patent which describes a behind the ear(BTE) sound processor module for auditory prosthesis systems.

The article offers information on a patent which describes an adjustment and cleaning tool for a hearing assistance device.